the crusade of the excelsior-第25节

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〃Whereas；　it　being　presented　to　an　Emergency　Council；　held　at　the

Presidio　of　Todos　Santos；　that　the　foreign　barque　Excelsior　had

mutinied；　discharged　her　captain　and　passengers；　and　escaped　from

the　waters　of　the　bay；　it　was；　on　examination；　found　and　decreed

that　the　said　barque　was　a　vessel　primarily　owned　by　a　foreign

Power；　then　and　there　confessed　and　admitted　to　be　at　war　with

Mexico　and　equipped　to　invade　one　of　her　northern　provinces。　　But

that　the　God　of　Liberty　and　Justice　awakening　in　the　breasts　of

certain　patriotsto　wit；　the　heroic　Senor　Diego　Hurlstone　and　the

invincible　Dona　Leonorthe　courage　and　discretion　to　resist　the

tyranny　and　injustice　of　their　oppressors；　caused　them　to　mutiny

and　abandon　the　vessel　rather　than　become　accomplices；　in　the

company　of　certain　neutral　and　non…combatant　traders　and　artisans；

severally　known　as　Brace；　Banks；　Winslow；　and　Crosby；　and　certain

aristocrats；　known　as　Senoras　Brimmer　and　Chubb。　　In　consideration

thereof；　it　is　decreed　by　the　Council　of　Todos　Santos　that　asylum；

refuge；　hospitality；　protection；　amity；　and　alliance　be　offered　and

extended　to　the　patriots；　Senor　Diego　Hurlstone；　Dona　Leonor；　and　a

certain　Duenna　Susana　Markham；　particularly　attached　to　Dona

Leonor's　person；　and　that　war；　reprisal；　banishment；　and　death　be

declared　against　Senor　Perkins；　his　unknown　aiders　and　abettors。

And　that　for　the　purposes　of　probation；　and　in　the　interests　of

clemency；　provisional　parole　shall　be　extended　to　the　alleged

neutralsBrace；　Banks；　Crosby；　and　Winslowwithin　the　limits　and

boundaries　of　the　lazaretto　of　San　Antonio；　until　their　neutrality

shall　be　established；　and　pending　the　further　pleasure　of　the

Council。　　And　it　is　further　decreed　and　declared　that　one　Capitano

Bunker；　formerly　of　the　Excelsior；　but　now　a　maniac　and　lunatic

being　irresponsible　and　visited　of　God；　shall　be　exempted　from　the

ordinances　of　this　decree　until　his　reason　shall　be　restored；　and

during　that　interval　subjected　to　the　ordinary　remedial　and

beneficent　restraint　of　civilization　and　humanity。　　By　order　of　the

Council；



〃The　signatures　and　rubrics　of



〃DON　MIGUEL　BRIONES；



　　　Comandante。



〃PADRE　ESTEBAN；



　　　of　the　Order　of　San　Francisco　d'Assisis。



〃DON　RAMON　RAMIREZ；



　　　Alcalde　of　the　Pueblo　of　Todos　Santos。〃





CHAPTER　XI。



THE　CAPTAIN　FOLLOWS　HIS　SHIP。





When　Padre　Esteban　had　finished　reading　the　document　he　laid　it

down　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　young　man。　　Hurlstone　met　his　look

with　a　glance　of　impatient　disdain。



〃What　have　you　to　say　to　this？〃　asked　the　ecclesiastic；　a　little

impressed　by　his　manner。



〃That　as　far　as　it　concerns　myself　it　is　a　farrago　of　absurdity。

If　I　were　the　person　described　there；　why　should　I　have　sought　you

with　what　you　call　a　lie　of　'sentimental　passion；'　when　I　could

have　claimed　protection　openly　with　my　SISTER　PATRIOT；〃　he　added；

with　a　bitter　laugh。



〃Because　you　did　not　know　THEN　the　sympathy　of　the　people　nor　the

decision　of　the　Council；〃　said　the　priest。



〃But　I　know　it　NOW；　and　I　refuse　to　accept　it。〃



〃You　refusetoto　accept　it？〃　echoed　the　priest。



〃I　do。〃　　He　walked　towards　the　door。　　〃Before　I　go；　let　me　thank

you　for　the　few　hours'　rest　and　security　that　you　have　given　to　one

who　may　be　a　cursed　man；　yet　is　no　impostor。　　But　I　do　not　blame

you　for　doubting　one　who　talks　like　a　desperate　man；　yet　lacks　the

courage　of　desperation。　　Good…by！〃



〃Where　are　you　going？〃



〃What　matters？　　There　is　a　safer　protection　and　security　to　be

found　than　even　that　offered　by　the　Council　of　Todos　Santos。〃



His　eyes　were　averted；　but　not　before　the　priest　had　seen　them

glaze　again　with　the　same　gloomy　absorption　that　had　horrified　him

in　the　church　the　evening　before。　　Father　Esteban　stepped　forward

and　placed　his　soft　hand　on　Hurlstone's　shoulder。



〃Look　at　me。　　Don't　turn　your　face　aside；　but　hear　me；　for　I

believe　your　story。〃



Without　raising　his　eyes；　the　young　man　lifted　Father　Esteban's

hand　from　his　shoulder；　pressed　it　lightly；　and　put　it　quietly

aside。



〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃for　keeping　at　least　that　unstained　memory

of　me。　　But　it　matters　little　now。　　Good…by！〃



He　had　his　hand　upon　the　door；　but　the　priest　again　withheld　him。



〃When　I　tell　you　I　believe　your　story；　it　is　only　to　tell　you　more。

I　believe　that　God　has　directed　your　wayward；　wandering　feet　here

to　His　house；　that　you　may　lay　down　the　burden　of　your　weak　and

suffering　manhood　before　His　altar；　and　become　once　more　a　child　of

His。　　I　stand　here　to　offer　you；　not　a　refuge　of　a　day　or　a　night；

but　for　all　time；　not　a　hiding…place　from　man　or　woman；　but　from

yourself；　my　sonyourself；　your　weak　and　mortal　self；　more　fatal

to　you　than　all。　　I　stand　here　to　open　for　you　not　only　the　door　of

this　humble　cell；　but　that　of　His　yonder　blessed　mansion。　　You

shall　share　my　life　with　me；　you　shall　be　one　of　my　disciples；　you

shall　help　me　strive　for　other　souls　as　I　have　striven　for　yours；

the　protection　of　the　Church；　which　is　all…powerful；　shall　be

around　you　if　you　wish　to　be　known；　you　shall　hide　yourself　in　its

mysteries　if　you　wish　to　be　forgotten。　　You　shall　be　my　child；　my

companion；　my　friend；　all　that　my　age　can　give　you　shall　be　yours

while　I　live；　and　it　shall　be　your　place　one　day　to　take　up　my

unfinished　work　when　it　falls　from　these　palsied　hands　forever。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　said　the　young　man　coldly。　　〃I　came　to　you　for

human　aid；　and　thank　you　for　what　you　have　granted　me：　I　have　not

been　presumptuous　enough　to　ask　more；　nor　to　believe　myself　a

fitting　subject　for　conversion。　　I　am　weak；　but　not　weak　enough　to

take　advantage　of　the　mistaken　kindness　of　either　the　temporal

Council　of　Todos　Santos　or　its　spiritual　head。〃　　He　opened　the　door

leading　into　the　garden。　　〃Forget　and　forgive　me；　Father　Esteban；

and　let　me　say　farewell。〃



〃Stop！〃　said　the　ecclesiastic；　raising　himself　to　his　full　height

and　stepping　before　Hurlstone。　　〃Then　if　you　will　not　hear　me　in

the　name　of　your　Father　who　lives；　in　the　name　of　your　father　who

is　dead　I　command　you　to　stay！　　I　stand　here　to…day　in　the　place　of

that　man　I　never　knewto　hold　back　his　son　from　madness　and　crime。

Think　of　me　as　of　him　whom　you　loved；　and　grant　to　an　old　man　who

might　have　had　a　son　as　old　as　you　the　right　of　throwing　a　father's

protecting　arm　around　you。〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　said　Hurlstone；　suddenly　lifting　his

now　moist　and　glistening　eyes　upon　the　old　man。



〃Give　me　your　word　of　honor　that　for　twenty…four　hours　you　will

remain　as　you　arepledging　yourself　to　nothingonly　promising　to

commit　no　act；　take　no　step；　without　consulting　me。　　You　will　not

be　sought　here；　nor　yet　need　you　keep　yourself　a　prisoner　in　these

gloomy　wallsexcept　that；　by　exposing　yourself　to　the　people　now；

you　might　be　compromised　to　some　course　that　you　are　not　ready　to

take。〃



〃I　promise；〃　said　Hurlstone。



He　turned　and　held　out　both　his　hands；　but　Father　Esteban

anticipated　him　with　a　paternal　gesture　of　uplifted　and　opened

arms；　and　for　an　instant　the　young　man's　forehead　was　bowed　on　the

priest's　shoulder。



Father　Esteban　gently　raised　the　young　man's　head。



〃You　will　take　a　pasear　in　the　garden　until　the　Angelus　rings；　my

son；　while　the　air　is　sweet　and　wholesome；　and　think　this　over。

Remember　that　you　may　accept　the　hospitality　of　the　Council　without

sin　of　deception。　　You　were　not　in　sympathy　with　either　the　captors

of　the　Excelsior　or　their　defeated　party；　for　you　would　have　flown

from　both。　　You；　of　all　your　party　now　in　Todos　Santos；　are　most　in

sympathy　with　us。　　You　have　no　cause　to　love　your　own　people；　you

have　abandoned　them　for　us。　　Go；　my　son；　and　meditate　upon　my

words。　　I　will　fetch　you　from　yonder　slope　in　time　for　the　evening

refection。〃



Hurlstone　bowed　his　head　and　turned　his　irresolute　feet　towards　the

upper　extremity　of　the　garden；　indicated　by　the　priest；　which

seemed　to　offer　more　seclusion　and　security　than　the　avenue　of

pear…trees。　　He　was　dazed　and　benumbed。　　The　old　dogged　impulses　of

self…destructionrevived　by　the　priest's　reproaches；　but　checked

by　the　vision　of　his　dead　and　forgotten　father；　which　the　priest's

words　had　called　upgave　way；　in　turn；　to　his　former　despair。

With　it　came　a　craving　for　peace　and　rest　so　insidious　that　in　some

vague　fear　of　yielding　to　it　he　quickened　his　pace；　as　if　to

increase　his　distance　from　the　church　and　its　apostle。　　He　was

almost　out　of　breath　when　he　reached　the　summit；　and　turned　to　look

back　upon　the　Mission　buildings　and　the　straggling　street　of　the

pueblo；　which　now　for　the　first　time　he　saw　skirted　the　wall　of　the

garden　in　its　descent　towards　the　sea。　　He　had　not　known　the　full

extent　of　Todos　Santos　before；　when　he　swam　ashore　he　had　landed

under　a　crumbling　outwork　of　the　fort；　he　gazed　now　wi